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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28298454">One-shot Handon Christmas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViviHandon21/pseuds/ViviHandon21'>ViviHandon21</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Legacies (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Merry Christmas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 01:02:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,151</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28298454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViviHandon21/pseuds/ViviHandon21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas again.  Landon is excited, but he will soon discover that his first real Christmas may not mean the same for Hope.  Speaking of Hope, she has an important lesson to learn from someone unusual.  In the end, will Handon be able to have a happy Christmas?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Handon - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One-shot Handon Christmas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>POV LANDON</p><p>I woke up earlier than I expected, cold air came in through the window I forgot to open, for a change. I got up still a little sleepy, but soon found myself awake. When I looked out the window and saw the snow, I remembered what day it was today. A wave of excitement washed over me, it was happening, my first real Christmas, entitled to people I considered family, home and Hope. Hope! I got dressed and went to look for her in her room, I needed to share this excitement with her. I was hurrying down the hall when I ran into Lizzie, to my bad luck.</p><p>L: - Watch out, Hobbit!</p><p>LA: - Sorry! I'm in a bit of a hurry.</p><p>L: - I could see it, but you can take it easy. Now that you came, I need to give you this.</p><p>She handed me a piece of paper with a list of things, many things. I looked at her a little confused, not understanding what I wanted with that, until she rolled her eyes and said:</p><p>L: - They are your tasks, obviously.</p><p>LA: - Tasks ...</p><p>L: - Yes, Frodo, tasks. We are running out of time to leave the school in the most Christmas atmosphere possible and everyone is being assigned tasks, these are yours.</p><p>LA: - But there's a lot here, Lizzie.</p><p>L: - We have reduced staff, take it, give these to your girlfriend, she won't escape this year.</p><p>LA: - Escape?</p><p>L: - I don't have time to chat, hurry up, I want everything ready before dinner!</p><p>So she left me with two huge lists of things to make sure she had the dream decor, and for a moment, I didn't want to imagine what would become of me if I didn't obey her. I went on my way to Hope's room, the door was open and she was almost out.</p><p>LA: - Going somewhere?</p><p>H: - Landon ?! - You said surprised to see me. - Oh, yeah, I'm leaving.</p><p>LA: - I don't think so.</p><p>I showed her the lists of tasks that Lizzie gave me and she rolled her eyes. She was strange, anxious, as if she just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.</p><p>H: - Lizzie will have to find someone else to carry out these tasks, I will not stay here.</p><p>LA: - I don't understand, Hope. It's Christmas! - I said excitedly. - I thought we were going to enjoy the day together, even with so much to do.</p><p>H: - Sorry, it won't work. - She said with regret.</p><p>LA: - Okay, this is strange, you are strange. Tell me, what's going on.</p><p>I was worried. Hope was not acting normally, even by her standards. I wanted to understand why she was so discouraged and desperate to get out of there. It took her a while to say something; walked to the window; took a deep breath; turned to me and invited me to sit on the bed with her.</p><p>H: - Landon, I don't handle these parties well. It's complicated...</p><p>LA: - So tell me, maybe I can help you. I know Lizzie's tasks can suffocate, but ...</p><p>H: - It has nothing to do with the tasks, it's just that ... I don't like Christmas very much.</p><p>How can someone not like Christmas? Obviously I didn't ask that question, it would be insensitive, but I waited attentively for your explanation.</p><p>H: - Don't look at me like that, I even liked it before, but ...</p><p>LA: - Your family.</p><p>At that moment, I was able to understand what was happening. Hope lost her parents and was always away from the rest of the family, she must miss their presence and forcing the bar for her to participate should be painful.</p><p>H: - It's just that seeing everyone thanking you for something, kind of makes me think of everything I missed and ...</p><p>LA: - Hey, I understand. I'm sorry for not feeling well.</p><p>H: - It's not your fault, I just can't stay here, and I didn't want to leave you.</p><p>LA: - Hey, don't worry about me. Yes, I wanted to spend what will be my first real Christmas with you, but I don't want you to get attached to something that hurts you.</p><p>H: - Are you sure?</p><p>LA: - Of course. I would even get out of here with you, but if we get out and leave those to-do lists behind, Lizzie hunts us and plucks out my liver since she couldn't get yours out.</p><p>She laughed and it already made my day better. I loved her and just wanted her to feel good.</p><p>H: - Okay, I promise I'll only breathe a less Christmas air and I'll be back later.</p><p>LA: - I just want you to be okay, and to call me if you need me. Promise?</p><p>H: - I promise.</p><p>Then she gave me a kiss; got up in a hurry; took the keys to his bentley and left. I looked at the task lists in my hand and ran to perform them, there was only one thing worse than spending Christmas Day without Hope: being tormented by Lizzie.</p><p>POV HOPE</p><p>I drove to town trying to get all the Christmas atmosphere out of my head, but nothing along the way helped. No matter where I looked, there were always red decorations; lights shining and people in hats walking the streets. I parked and got out to walk a little, sat on a bench in the square with my diary ready to complain about how suffocating the day was when I realized something was wrong. In the distance, a few little boys were playing. They shouldn't have been more than 10 or 11, but some of them were disturbing the smallest in the class. One of the boys pushed him while two others threw snowballs at him. I didn't know if they were kidding or not, but I thought it best to intervene.</p><p>H: - What's going on here? - I said with the most adult tone I could.</p><p>When they looked at me, they ran away leaving the little boy lying on the floor. I reached out and helped him up. He wore worn clothes and torn gloves, he must have been cold. I was almost tempted to offer my coat, but he ended up taking the initiative to talk to me.</p><p>HE: - Thank you. - Said shaking snow from the hair.</p><p>H: - You're welcome. Are you alright ?</p><p>HE: - Yes, I am.</p><p>H: - Your friends are not very nice, are they?</p><p>HE: - They are not my friends. They were making fun of me because of the gifts and I said I didn't care about silly gifts, so they pushed me away. But I could have gotten rid of them. - Said confident.</p><p>H: - I'm sure it is. - I said smiling at him.</p><p>He still looked cold, but I could tell he wouldn't accept the jacket, so I decided to invite him to a warmer place.</p><p>H: - So, do you want to have a snack at the Grill?</p><p>He looked at me suspiciously, which was expected when you receive an invitation from a gut.</p><p>HE: - Ah, sorry, but I can't walk or talk to strangers.</p><p>H: - What a headache, you're right. Nice to meet you, I'm Hope. - He said, extending his hand.</p><p>HE: - I'm Henry. - He said squeezing it still suspicious.</p><p>H: - Henry , is it? I had a friend named Henry.</p><p>HE: - No more?</p><p>He asked so innocently that I couldn't help but smile, even with the painful memory that that name brought to me.</p><p>H: - He left.</p><p>HE: - Ah, I'm sorry.</p><p>H: - Okay, that was some time ago. Well, but now that we're no longer strangers, take a bite to eat.</p><p>I thought he was going to refuse, I would refuse. I don't know why I wanted to spend more time with that little boy, but I hoped he would accept it and he did it.</p><p>HE: - Right, but I have no money. - He said a little embarrassed.</p><p>H: - Don't worry, I'm inviting and I'll pay. Come on, you'll be able to tell me your problem with gifts.</p><p>We walked to the Mystic Grill; we went in and settled down at a table. I told Henry to order whatever he wanted and he ordered an X-Burger with fries, I went with him and ordered the same. He was hungry, so I thought it best to talk before he choked on the food so fast he was devouring it.</p><p>H: - So, Henry, do you find silly Christmas gifts?</p><p>He swallowed some potatoes and looked at me, as if wondering whether to tell the truth or not.</p><p>HE: - No. Actually, I really wanted to receive cool gifts like those boys.</p><p>H: - And aren't your gifts legal?</p><p>HE: - I don't get gifts. - He said at once.</p><p>I tried to conceive of all the reasons why he did not receive gifts, lack of money; uncaring parents; was he a bad boy? I couldn't decide, so I waited for him to finish talking.</p><p>HE: - We don't have money for gifts. Anne says they are the least important part of Christmas, but it would still be fun to win one.</p><p>H: - Is Anne your mother?</p><p>HE: - I don't have a mother or father. But I have a sister, her name is Julie.</p><p>Suddenly, I was no longer hungry. Little Henry was an orphan, like me, and even so, revealing that didn't seem like a big deal.</p><p>H: - I'm sorry, Henry, you must miss them.</p><p>HE: - Okay, I hardly remember them and Anne and Josh are nice. They have taken care of me and my sister since we were little, they were friends of our parents.</p><p>H: - Good. But let me guess, Anne and Josh don't have a lot of money left over for gifts, right?</p><p>HE: - We don't have much money left over for anything.</p><p>I couldn't help but laugh at the way he spoke. Little Henry was very spontaneous and talkative, he answered everything with such sincerity and objectivity that the conversation flowed in a fun way.</p><p>HE: - But that's okay. At Christmas, Anne makes cookies with a few drops of chocolate, Julie and I consider the luck of finding the cookies with the drops present. I'm not saying that I didn't want to have a Christmas with colorful candies, gifts and Santa hats; but we learn what really matters on this holiday: We are together, we are grateful to have each other.</p><p>It was shameful to realize that a little boy who was no more than 10 years old understood the essence of Christmas with more optimism than I did.</p><p>HE: - And you, I never saw you around town, are you new here?</p><p>H: - More or less. I came to the city trying to escape the Christmas atmosphere of my house, but it seems a little difficult to escape Christmas.</p><p>HE: - Why do you want to escape Christmas, don't you like it?</p><p>H: - I liked it. But now I can't spend the holidays with the people I love the most, so these parties make me sad.</p><p>HE: - There is no one left that you like to spend Christmas with?</p><p>H: - No. Well, yes. I have friends, and a boyfriend, but it's not the same.</p><p>HE: - You don't love them?</p><p>H: - I love it, very much. It's just ...</p><p>HE: - If you love them, why don't you want to be with them for Christmas?</p><p>H: - It's complicated.</p><p>HE: - Adults always complicate things. It's like Anne always says: if there are people who like you and people you like, it's a good reason to be grateful.</p><p>He spoke so naturally while he devoured his last potatoes that he didn't notice when I got lost in his words. Was he right. Of course, it would always hurt not to have my mom, dad, and family, but I was being kind of spoiled and selfish for isolating myself. Now I had friends, whom I liked a lot, and I had Landon, the most important person I could have by my side. I had my classmates at school, and after these recent times, they were all like one big family to me too. Little Henry was giving me a hell of a lesson in how much I should be grateful for all the things I have left and missing. When I came to myself, he was staring at me.</p><p>HE: - You look weird. Are you going to eat this?</p><p>He pointed to my potatoes.</p><p>H: - No, you can take it.</p><p>I couldn't help smiling, as I was amazed at how much food he was able to put inside.</p><p>H: - You know, Henry, you're right.</p><p>HE: - About what?</p><p>H: - About a lot of things.</p><p>He looked at me confused as he wiped his hands after eating all that food.</p><p>HE: - Cool.</p><p>H: - You helped me to realize that I have many things to be thankful for, thank you.</p><p>HE: - You're welcome. I hope you enjoy your gifts.</p><p>H: - I will. But you ?</p><p>HE: - Me what?</p><p>H: - What gifts would you like to receive?</p><p>HE: - A soccer ball! I'm a great player!</p><p>H: - Let me guess, are you a quarterback?</p><p>HE: - No, I'm very small, but I would be a good kicker, I have a very good kick.</p><p>Henry was a figure, a very funny little boy. The best company I could have found today.</p><p>HE: - And it's easier to practice, my sister doesn't like football, she just wants to draw.</p><p>H: - Is she an artist?</p><p>HE: - She is very good at doodling the walls.</p><p>I couldn't help laughing. He looked at me as if he expected more questions. I think I was holding him too much there, he must have wanted to go out and play in the snow. So I paid the bill and we left.</p><p>H: - Thanks for the conversation, Henry. You are a very nice little boy.</p><p>HE: - And you are a nice girl too. Thanks for the snack.</p><p>H: - You're welcome.</p><p>He was already leaving when I asked him to say something.</p><p>H: - Hey, Henry, don't lose hope in the gifts. One day they always arrive.</p><p>He gave a thumbs up, smiled and ran back to the square to play. When he left, I realized that I had to do something before I went back to school. I went to my car and got the checkbook out of the glove compartment, it was official: I would go shopping for Christmas.</p><p>POV LANDON</p><p>It was definitely exhausting to please Lizzie Saltzman when it came to Christmas decoration. There were witches making things fly everywhere, and super fast vampires hanging ornaments, but the more complicated tasks had to be left to me. The last on the list was lighting. She told me to decorate the entire school entrance with lights, and I don't need to say how big the school entrance is, do I? I think she thought it would be easy, since I knew how to fly, but sometimes that skill didn't respond very well. When Josie saw my suffering, she changed tasks with me and told me to finish decorating the tree in the room. As much as this task was easier, I managed to put my clumsy personality on it too. When I dropped the ornaments a third time, Lizzie came up to me, frighteningly irritated.</p><p>L: - Okay, curly gnome, are you trying to ruin everything?</p><p>LA: - No, I just, I don't think I'm focused. - Said dropping other red balls.</p><p>L: - Everyone has noticed that. Look, if you're supposed to be late everyone, it's better to go right after your girlfriend and end your lack of attention.</p><p>Lizzie was right. As much as I wanted to help with what she asked me to do, doing it without Hope was not cool. I wanted her to be with me, I was homesick and worried. Had she managed to get well? Why was it taking so long? I wanted to go to her and, now that Lizzie had released, that was what I would do.</p><p>LA: - Really? Am I released? Aren't you going to bewitch me or anything?</p><p>L: - And waste my magic on you? No way! Come on, hurry up and see if you can get that girl in time to open the presents.</p><p>LA: - Leave it!</p><p>I hurried out to the bus stop, Hope said I would go to the city, so I knew I would find her there. It wasn't long before I arrived. I walked the streets a little bit, looking for her, and I saw her car parked in front of a toy store. The car was already full of boxes and some canvas. For a moment, I thought she had decided to give herself a gift, but soon the idea was gone. When I looked up, someone was leaving the store with boxes and bags piled up to cover their faces.</p><p>LA: - Need help?</p><p>When he turned around, it was Hope.</p><p>H: - Landon! - She said smiling.</p><p>LA: - Hi, Mrs. Claus.</p><p>She laughed and I helped her with the shopping. We took everything to the car and she told me that she had a good conversation with a 10 year old boy who wanted to be a kicker and I just heard her completely confused.</p><p>H: - What are you doing here? Did you run away from Lizzie?</p><p>LA: - Actually, she released me to come after you.</p><p>H: - Did you release it?</p><p>LA: - Apparently, I was screwing up because I couldn't concentrate on anything other than the girl I love, so yes, she set me free.</p><p>Hope stared at me for a second with that beautiful smile that turns any regret, sadness or pain into a reason to smile too. She said nothing, but I knew she was happy that I was there. I know I was.</p><p>H: - I loved that you came, but we can't go back until I finish what I started.</p><p>LA: - What would it be? By the way, where did you get the money for all this?</p><p>H: - A lot of accumulated allowance, come on, come with me.</p><p>We got in the car and left for the square. It was almost dark and the city lights gained a glow that only this type of party makes possible. We parked and she asked me to help bring gifts to the huge decorated tree in the center of the square. When we finished, she pulled me to a farther place and pointed her to a family playing in the snow: a little boy of about 10, a girl of about 12 and a couple of gentlemen. They looked happy.</p><p>H: - That's Henry, with his sister and adoptive parents.</p><p>LA: - The little boy who wants to be a kicker?</p><p>H: - This one. - She said smiling.</p><p>I started to connect the dots of what Hope was doing. She went to the car and brought her diary; wrote something and highlighted the sheet. In the note it said:</p><p>"Go to the tree, Henry. And don't forget, never give up hope. Merry Christmas."</p><p>Then she crumpled the sheet in her hands and blew on it, the note evaporated in the air. In the distance, we saw Henry find the little paper ball and then run towards the tree followed by his family, apparently confused. When they got there, they found boxes and more gift boxes that, when opened, revealed colorful candies; Christmas hats; a soccer ball; and art supplies. Their smiles were as radiant as Hope's, which I noticed was moving beside me. How many more ways could I fall in love with the girl she was? Beautiful, gentle, generous, the love of my life. When she realized that I was looking at her, she tried to wipe away a tear.</p><p>LA: - What was that? - I asked, still delighted.</p><p>H: - I think it was the Christmas spirit. - She replied with a smile. - Come on, we still have a Christmas party to attend.</p><p>I hugged her and we walked to the car together. On the way to school, she told me, in a way that made the most sense, the conversation she had with little Henry. I was relieved to know that she would be fine when we got home, especially happy to know that she was grateful to have me. When we arrived, she asked me to come in and call the others to the entrance, said there was something we needed to do together. I did as she asked. When we left, there was a pyre lit right in the center of the entrance.</p><p>L: - Did you call us out here to barbecue?</p><p>J: - What is that?</p><p>H: - A new tradition.</p><p>We were all a little confused, but soon she tried to explain.</p><p>H: - Aunt Rebekah told me that, long ago, it was a tradition to write your wishes for others and burn them for Christmas. It is an exercise in gratitude; of affection, that we practice with those we love, with the family. I thought that after everything we've been through this year, we've kind of become a big family, so ... take the paper and write your wishes. Everyone was a little shocked by Hope's words. She was not the most communicative person, nor did she use to expose her feelings like that, but everyone who knew this received her words with even more affection. It didn't take long and they were already throwing their wishes on the pyre. I made mine, but when my turn came, I lived through a bit of an impasse. When I finally burned them all, I approached Hope, who still had a paper in her hand.</p><p>LA: - Desire difficult?</p><p>H: - Maybe. Have you already burned yours?</p><p>LA: - Yes! I confess it was kind of hard to write my but ...</p><p>H: - Why is it difficult? What you asked ?</p><p>LA: - Is it okay to tell?</p><p>H: - Everything. - She replied smiling.</p><p>LA: - I realized that this year I had everything I ever wanted. Despite the problems, I have a place to call home, people to call family and ... well, I have you. I think all I could do was ask it to last forever.</p><p>She looked at me visibly moved. The beautiful eyes, the beautiful smile, she was beautiful. But he ended up laughing and rolling his eyes.</p><p>LA: - What is it?</p><p>H: - Nothing, it's just that you copied my wish.</p><p>LA: - What?</p><p>Then she unrolled the paper in her hand and it was written:</p><p>"Family, friends and Landon, always and forever."</p><p>We smiled at each other and as soon as she threw the paper over the fire I kissed her. This time for real, regardless of the audience that stared at us when we parted.</p><p>L: - Okay, if the lovebirds are finished, we have gifts to open.</p><p>So everyone came in very excited and Hope and I followed. While everyone was exchanging and opening presents, I took Hope to a less noisy and busy place and handed mine over. She looked at the box with a happy and curious look at the same time, alternating that look between me and the present.</p><p>LA: - Open it, I hope you like it.</p><p>She opened it and saw that inside was a necklace with a pendant almost the size of a coin, with a bird and a wolf engraved on the front and our initials on the back. She stared at the jewel that I knew was no big deal, but that I hoped she liked. I was getting nervous about her delay in saying something until she looked at me with emotion; put the box on a small table nearby and kissed me. When we parted, she smiled at me and asked me to put the necklace on her, I did.</p><p>H: - It's beautiful, I loved it.</p><p>LA: - Phew, good. I thought I didn't like it, I didn't say anything.</p><p>H: - It's perfect. Where did you get it ?</p><p>LA: - I desperately asked for help from the witches I know to materialize my idea. - He said proudly.</p><p>She smiled again and said:</p><p>H: - I also have a gift for you, but it's not here.</p><p>LA: - You are my best gift. - He said kissing her.</p><p>H: - Very beautiful, but I still have a gift for you.</p><p>Then we went up to her room, where she handed me a large, thin package. When I opened it, I saw that it was a beautiful canvas. She had painted the scene of our first flight together. The starry night sky; my wings of fire, and our shadows together in the center. It was beautiful. Beautiful like her. I couldn't help but put the screen on the bed carefully, before kissing it. This was not only my first real Christmas, it was the best Christmas of my life.</p><p>When we parted, we faced each other, eye to eye, before I spoke.</p><p>LA: - I love you, Hope Mikaelson.</p><p>H: - I love you too, Landon Kirby.</p><p>So we kissed again, and I think that was the best way to wish each other a Merry Christmas.</p>
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